Iluminated
by Bloody-red-scar
Summary: After Jet finds Zuko beaten up in an old dirty alley, he takes him to his place. After some time being together, Jet notices they have much in common.


**I wanted to start this story again. I know it's been long, but I hope you will still like this story.**

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**Punch**

"Come on, bitch! Is that all you got?" a loud scream went thru the long alley. Covering my face, I felt another harsh punch. This time, it was into the stomach. A hand grabs my collar, cutting off my air. Raising my head, I saw my father's glare. It was a face of a monster. His fist met my face once more.

My name is Zuko Lush, and now I'm studying at a high school. Even though that we are rich, like really rich, I go to the worst high school in the city. What a nice thing from my father, right? My mother vanished with my younger sister years ago, leaving me with this monster. Is this what I get after being officially a blood cancer survivor? A worse life? I don't want to think about my mother badly, but that was a pretty selfish thing to do.

I felt another fist hit my jaw, and my mouth filled with blood. I will probably be missing few teeth after this. Then, because of that, I won't find anyone. My friends left me years ago, just when I told them I have cancer. That wasn't really nice from them. Having Leukaemia and losing your friends pretty sucks. You can just call yourself useless for this world.

Spitting out some blood, I tried to punch him back, but I didn't succeed, feeling my father grabbing my arm, and throwing me on the ground. Hissing in pain, I felt a sharp object piercing thru my skin. I must have fallen on a very sharp rock. Stopping myself from yelling in pain, I felt another hard kick. He kicked me pretty badly into my belly. It had hurt really badly.

"What is it? You're not good enough of a man to stand up? You're just worthless. Just like your mother," he yelled and I flinched, sitting up, feeling a hard punch into my jaw, sending me on the ground again. I felt the rock rip thru my skin even more, digging deeper. It must be stuck somewhere in my back. I sat up without anyone having to tell me, backing away.

"I'm sorry, father," my voice trembled and he kicked me into my belly, glaring. He spat into my face, his glare never going away. "You're weak. No son of my will be weak. Please, do us all a favor and kill yourself," he said before turning around and walking away. I didn't even tried to get up. Why should I even? My father was right. What I am for this world? I'm not good for anything. It would be better if I died right here and now. No one would care anyway. I wonder if anyone would miss me. Probably not.

Moving with my head into a better place, looking at the wall at the other side of my laying body. I laid on my side, my back resting against the wall. I felt something crawl on my leg. It was probably a spider, seeing my as another pray. At least I was better for someone. Or something.

"Hurry the fuck up already!"

I heard loud footsteps coming my way. Opening my eyes and looking the way I heard the footsteps, I saw three shadows, hurrying my way. My vision started to get a blurry It was hard to see them. I soon saw the figures. They stopped and stared at me, the highest of them dropping a bag that landed on the ground, dust scattering around it. They stared at me for a while, before one of them walked to me, kicking slightly into my side. I hiss left my lips. It was pretty painful.

"Shit, this guy is still alive," a close girl voice said. I was pretty sure that it was the person, that was standing next to me. I turned my head to her, my eyes opened a little, staring at her. She stared back and kneeled down, her hand brushing thru my hair. "Hey, he's still conscious. Shouldn't we call an ambulance?" the girl asked, looking away.

"You're kidding me? They are going to call the fucking cops and we are going to end up in jail," an older male voice said, coming to me and looking down. He kneeled down and stared, his hand reaching somewhere and then he lifted it up. Even though my vision was blurry, I could see that it was covered in blood. "Maybe we should take him to our place and then think of something." The girl stared at him and then looked back at me.

"Fine, but what are we going to do later with him?"

The girl asked and looked back at me, standing up. "I don't know, but we should get going. Help me with him. You, take the bag," he commanded and I felt a strong pair of hands lift me up into bridal style. Without even knowing the person, I grabbed his arm, hissing. The guy stood up and turned around. I felt the spider slide of my leg, the rock moving a little.

"It's alright. Everything's gonna be fine soon." he said and turned his head a little to the little. My head fell back and I saw a light from a flashlight and heard dog barking. "Shit, we need to run!" he turned around and started to run away.

I suddenly felt tired. Really tired. Soon enough, I passed out.

***Illuminat** **ed***

"Hey, he's waking up."

A male voice yelled. I opened my eye seeing a face in front of mine. "Dude, you've been out a while," a girl voice said and then chuckled. I blinked and started at her, raising my hand to push her away. I hissed, feeling a shot of pain going thru my hand. "Be careful. Someone beaten you up really badly. Your left wrist is broken and you had a stone stuck in your back."

The male voice said and chuckled, walking to the bed. "But at least you aren't dead. That would suck," the girl smiled and giggled, moving away. "We wouldn't want to be blamed for your dead." I blinked and stared at her, turning my head to the other side. The mattress wasnt really comfortable. I realised without anyone having to tell me, that I wasn't laying on a bed.

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Jet," the guy chuckled. I looked at him, my vision a lot better. His skin had melted chocolate color, his hair brown. I couldn't really see the eye color, because he had an old brown hoodie and a hood over his head. I could just tip that his eyes were brown too. I couldn't really tell.

"That is Bee over there," he pointed behind me and I turned my head to the girl. Her appearance was kind of hard to describe, but if I should use one word for it, the word would be badass. He then added: "she thinks you're cute. Even with that thing over your face." I turned my head once again, seeing that he was pointing at his face.

Oh, the scar.

Sighing, I sat up slowly, supporting my body with my good arm, the blanket falling to my waist. It got a reaction right away. "What are you doing, idiot?! Get back to the bed. You've almost bleed to dead a couple of days ago!" the girl, Bee, yelled, panicking a little. "Jet, what the fuck I'm suppose to do with him?" she asked, grabbing my shoulder. "Let him be, Bee. I think he's gonna survive."

Bee looked at me and then at Jet, or I think is his name, her eyes wide. She then sighed and nodded with her head, standing up. "I'm going to help Longshot finish diner," she then left, leaving the two of us in the room. I turn my head to Jet, who was smirking and then walked to me. He kneeled next to me and grabbed the blanket, folding it somehow in a bad way and putting it on the pillow. I soon noticed that the pants I had on weren't mine at all. The sweatpants had an oddly gray color and a red spot on the bottom of it. I wondered if that was blood.

"So, what is your name?" I jumped a little. Have I completely forgot about his presence. It seemed that I did. "Ugh, Lush. Zuko Lush." Je raised an eyebrow. "Lush? Heh, I never heard that kind of surname." I just stared and then felt something loosen up, making me flinch a little. "I need to change the bandages, so don't move. The wound can open up again, and I promise you that you won't want that. You got there thirteen stitches," he said. I looked at the bandages that were now off, seeing a part of it covered in blood.

"What happened? You couldn't just beat yourself up like this," Jet joked and laughed, opening a cabinet and taking out bandages from it. I raised my arms, letting him wrap it around my waist. "My father got his anger on me," I answered and turned my head, seeing nothing in his face. I wondered for sometime if he gone thru same things like I do. He was silent for a while, wrapping the bandages around my waist.

It took him good five minutes before he was done, leaving me to move freely. There was still pain. "Okay, it's done. I would recommend a hoodie with a zipper and not a shirt," he mumbled before moving to a think, that couldn't be even called a drawer, taking out a rather old hoodie, throwing it on the bed. "Get it on and be careful with your wrist." I looked at it, seeing it covered in bandages as well.

"Okay, thanks." He sent me a small smile. I smiled back before he left. My smile disappeared and I looked around the room. The first thing that got my attention was a light in the left corner of the room, covered in spider webs, but still working. Then there was this drawer that had a photo on top of it. There were small kids on the photo. The bottom of it was covered in blood. It had dust all over it. Must been really old.

Taking the hoodie, I looked at it, seeing a small hole in the sleeve. The hoodie had a black color, another red spot on it. It started to be weird. Shrugging, I somehow managed to get the hoodie on, not wanting to open up the wound that was in my back. That would be really painful. Finally having the hoodie on, I glanced at the floor, grabbing a pair of shoes. Putting them on, I tried to straight up my back, failing miserably.

Sighing, I made my way to the door that had nothing more than a brown curtain over it, stumbling a little. I walked thru the door, looking around. The doors lead straight outside. There was an old swing. Looking around, I saw another door and I could hear voices coming from it. It sounded like they were having an argument.

"Bee, I told you that this is too hot to taste it!" someone yelled and then another male voice, probably Jet's, yelled, that she should have been more careful. "I'm sorry, alright?" Bee replied with a low voice. Soon, I could hear the plates being put on the table. This gave me a chance to count how many of them is here.

"How about that guy. Still sleeping?" a male voice asked and then another added: "yeah, Jet. Will he even wake up? I think it would be better if you left him in the alley." I took a step back from the door, forgetting completely about counting. There was something wrong with this place and I don't like it. "Look, I'm the leader and what I say goes. So if I bring anyone here, I can be the only one who will kick them out. You understand me, Duke?" Jet said, his voice harsh. "And yes, he is awake," Jet mumbled and sighed. I heard cracking of the wood, like someone was sitting on the chair and then there was a laugh.

"Great, we needed a bitch already."

There was silence for a while. My breath stopped. Was that why I am here? That I will be there bitch? That isn't how I imagined my future. I was supposed to study at Oxford in future. This place was wrong in many ways. I gulped and waited what they are going to talk about.

"Well, thank you Luke. I just lost my appetite," Jet mumbled and then he walked outside the door. My eyes widened and I took a step back. I turned around and was ready to run, but Jet grabbed my hand, stopping me from running. "L-let me go!" I yelled, struggling but he only held tighter. "Calm down! I swear we won't do anything to you." I didn't want to hear it. He was lying to me.

"No! You're lying! I have a future! Just let me go!" I yelled and struggled even more. Jet didn't say anything and just held on tightly, watching me with a calm face. "Look if you don't want to go there, I won't push you. And trust me, we don't need a bitch," Jet said and then let go, making me fall on the ground. I quickly got up, backing away. During the fall, I feel on my broken wrist. It hurt really badly. Looking at it, I saw the bandages get loose a little, letting me move with the wrist.

That wasn't a very good idea.

A piercing yell left my lips, getting everyone's attention. "Everything alright?" someone asks and I lift my head, starting at my wrist. The bandages fell off and I could clearly see how my wrist was broken. It wasn't very nice. "Shit, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" he asked and I felt like killing him. "No, I'm completely fine. Just look at my wrist," I mumbled, showing him my wrist. He winced and looked at the bandages that were on the floor. "Stay here, I will get the bandages." My eyes widened and I eyed thous kids behind me, backing away a little.

"No, it's okay. I'm going with you."

Standing up, my back started to hurt. Taking a deep breath, I started to walk back to the room, walking inside. "Jeez, what's wrong with that guy?" someone asked and just scuffed. "Shut up, Luke," Jet mumbled and the other guy replied: "but my name is Duke." I heard Jet mumbled something under his breath. "Okay, Duke. Shut up and go get the diner ready. The rest of you do whatever you want."

I then heard footsteps near the room. Well, he took his dear time to get here. "Took you some time to get here," I mumbled and he just rolled his eyes, walking to the old drawer and opening it. "Sit on the bed and show me your wrist," he said, taking out the bandages and closing the drawer, kneeling next to me. He gently took the my wrist into his hand, looking at it. "Shit, this doesn't look very good. You are gotta have to stay still, or it's just going to get worse."

I looked at him and nodded, biting my bottom lip. I knew very well that it was going to hurt. And a lot.

Jet slowly had put the start of the bandage on top of my wrist and laid a finger on it, starting to wrap it around my wrist. "How old are you?" Jet suddenly asked. "I just turned fifteen," I said and Jet nodded with his head and continued to talk. "I'm sixteen," he answered, smiling. I just winced a little when he had put a little pressure of the bandages.

It continued like this for a while before he tagged on the bandages and hooked an end of it under a part of the bandage. "That should do it," Jet chuckled and stood up, throwing the rest of the bandages next to the drawer. He smiled and offered me a hand. I grabbed it and stood up. My back hurt, but it was bearable. "I bet you're hungry. We only got a simple soup tonight, but it should be enough for all of us. We haven't expected that you would join us."

I stared at him and shook with my head. "But I'm not joining anyone. I'm going home," Jet blinked and just chuckled. Then it turned into a laugh. "You aren't going anywhere," he laughed like a mad man. I took a step back, wanting to run away. "You join us, the Freedom Fighters, or you die. Your choice." Without thinking, I pushed Jet into the wall, running out of the room.

This place was fucked up. Oh, it was so fucked up! "Run rabbit, run!" a male voice yelled and I was pretty sure it wasn't Jet's voice. I didn't know where I was running. Just away from them.

The cabin was surrounded by forest.

It was dark, too dark to be able to see my own feet as I ran across dirt, soil and twigs that snapped at every lading foot. My air panting out of my like a wheezing coal train I stopped to take a breath for a split second. A loud, more deadlier snap echoed the forest into a bliss aching silence. Then a growl. I turned and saw two large, yellow eyes glare dangerously at me. I did not even register what it might have been because I was too focused on just running.

Soon, the pain in my back became unbearable. The wound must have been opened, what was not good. It wasn't good at all. My pace slowed and I heard the thing, probably a wolf, getting closer to me. If it got really close, my chance on surviving would be very small. Turning around for a split second, I saw that the thing was closer than before. It must have chosen me as it's pray. As it's diner. I wanted to run a little faster, but the pain in the back didn't helped. After a while, I figured out that Jet might have been right. That if I didn't stay there, I would die. And dead was at hand right now.

I hobbled to what appeared to be foot hill landing which landscaped upwards into a strong-looking wall block. I ran up to it and banged hard onto the wall, painful marks grazing my skin from the rough material. Damn it, stupid it rock. I'm gonna die because of a stupid wolf and a stupid ROCK! It growled behind me. I sharply turned to meet my down of hungry blood starved monster that prowled towards me slowly, too slowly. I grabbed what little nervous I had left and through a small stone at it. Big mistake. It came at me, growling and angry and bit down on my leg. I screamed, feeling the animal's teeth sink into my flesh and feeling my muscle squish compared to a stone and orange.

It hurt. And badly. Like a freaking rock in my back and a broken wrist wasn't enough. Maybe I should have really stayed at the cabin. Maybe it would be a lot safer. Maybe I won't even have to go thru this shit. Biting my lips, trying not to scream more, I kicked the wolf into its head. It sharply pulled away, growling. I slowly looked at the wound. The sweat pants now had a very large red mark on it and it was getting bigger. I just hoped that this one didn't had rabies. I grabbed another rock, trying to hit it into the eye. I missed and hit it into the ear, what didn't really helped. The beast growled, its teeth covered in blood. The pain was terrible.

Just kill me someone please. It will be less painful.

Looking around, I didn't really saw a way out of here. One thing scared me the most. That there can be other wolves near and that they could smell me.

But my mind was drawn back to the one wolf that had its jaws fitted tight around my leg and just would not budge. It growled and snarled into my flesh, feeling a painful vibe as it shook and went further into my leg. I gasped, growled out in rage and found another stone, bigger, heavier and went for it straight in the eye. The wolf howled, but did not let go. I went at it again, hitting it on the corner of the right eye lid. A trail of blood burst from the impaled wound. The wolf growled and even more impossible, tightened even further on my leg. I screamed, tears on the verge of escaping and I used both hands to pull the large rock down directly on top of the wolf's head. The jaws instantly tightened and I stared into the blank, lifeless eyes that laid at my feet. I kicked at its head with my bad leg, but that was a bad idea. I grabbed my injured leg and fell to the floor holding it tight as it bled. I felt tears fall from my eyes but I did not feel the emotion to cry out loud or remove them. More focused on other things as I were.

Well, this was great. My wrist was broken, there is an opened wound in my back and now a part of my leg is ripped off. I slowly sat up and rolled the leg of the pant up, looking at the leg. I almost wanted to puke. The top muscles were gone and there were bite marks over it. I think that if the wolf bit me even harder, I would be able to see the bone. "Fuck," I cursed under my breath, taking a deep breath and pulling the leg of the pants down. If I would look at it more, I would faith. Slowly pulling myself up, I grabbed the wall, supporting my body. My back hurt. My wrist hurt. My leg hurt and my nose was bleeding. I wondered if I broke it during the fall. Probably yes. After a while, I realised that I didn't knew were I was at all. It was dark. So dark. I looked at my leg once more. Maybe bleeding out now wouldn't be so terrible. At least it would end my misery.

Sighing, I stared slowly walking back to the cabin, not wanting to met another hungry wolf. That would be a sure dead for me.

I walked, as much as everything shocked me to the bone with every step I went on. Then the rustle came. Oh not another one. I trembled as the bushes moved on its own. I closed my eyes and held my breath. I gave up. I did not want to fight any more. A cold metal curve met at my neck and my eyes flashed open. If it wasn't for certain circumstances I would not know whether to cry or laugh. In front was and arrogant smirk with a hood over his head like he was a gangster robber and well, in basic terms I was screwed.

His eyes fell on my leg, the sword being put away. "What did I told you?" he says and by the voice, I was pretty much sure, that I won't be ending up tonight as a corpse at this point. It would suck if I would. "What did I told you?" This time, his voice is more harsh, and he sounds like he is about to kill me. I gulp and look at my bleeding leg and back again. "T-that I would die, if I wouldn't join you?" my voice shakes a little, the pain in my leg and back and well, let's say everywhere, becoming unbearable. He nods, taking the hood off. "I take you here, take care of you for two weeks, and this is how you repay me? By running away?"

"I've been out for two weeks?" He just nods his head like nothing happened. "Yeah, two weeks. Not been really fun taking care of you," he says and then smirks. "Do you always sob so much from your sleep?" My jaw drops. What the hell? I never freaking sob in my sleep. I would never sob in my sleep. "Haha, very funny," I laugh sarcastically and he just shrugs. "It's true. All of us haven't slept really much. Your sobbing got really annoying in few nights." Just kill me someone please. I have never ever been so embarrassed in my life. There is silence for a while and he glances at my leg once more. "Pull it up."

I smirked; "Not like I had much of a choice of anything, really." Jet smiled, sick and twisted. I pulled the trouser leg up. "Leg looks pretty bad." Jet pointed out. "You know," Jet tipped his sword across his shoulder,"you must have been pretty stupid to think you could have escaped and run off without leaving a trace." Jet strutted. Circling me like a predator to its prey.

Before I knew it I was picked up off the floor and for a moment my leg stung like hell. I realised I was being... carried! "PUT ME DOWN!" I screamed. Jet growled and shifted me in his arms. "Shut up. Do you want more wolves after us?"

I didn't care. I wanted down and right away. I'm not a small baby. I can walk by myself! "Put me down first!" I yelled and punched his chest with my good writs. He just raised an eyebrow. "First of, no. I won't put you down. And second of. What the fuck are you doing?" I stare at him for a while and then just punch him lightly once more, trying to get my feet back on the ground. "Let me go!" I yelled and Jet just turned on his heel, starting to walk. When he started to walk, my good leg hit against the bad one. I couldn't hold back a scream.

"Ah!" I scream and Jet jumped a little, dropping me on the floor, his hands on his ears. The leg just got worst when I fell on the ground, my back not getting any better. I felt my wrist crack. "S-shit, I'm sorry. You alright?" I just groaned and really didn't want to move. I knew that if I did, the pain in my back would get even worse.

"D-do I look okay?"

I could tell Jet bit back a laugh as his side cheek went inside from a bit and that twitch upon his brow. I glared hard at him as he raised me back up into his arms, hissing "Shit, I must have cut myself during the fall," he cursed, shifting me in his arms. It was pretty uncomfortable. "Not like you can complain," I mumbled quietly, hoping he won't hear me. He did.

"Oh, shut up. You're not the lightest person I ever carried, you know?" I just rolled my eyes and turned away. It was really embarrassing to be carried.

The rest of the way was silence.

***Illuminated***

I'm sorry, daddy. I'm so sorry...

"You can't even make things right, bitch!"

My father is drunk again. He get's drunk every night, since my mother left with my little sister. He used to get his anger on my mother. Now he get's his anger on me. Why do I must have my looks after my mother? Did my mother cursed before she left? Why?

"I'm really sorry, daddy," I sobbed, shaking helplessly in the kitchen corner. Why does my father have to beat me up everyday, since my mother left? I haven't done anything wrong to my father. How could I? I'm only seven! "Look what you've done to me! What you done to this family! I wished you were never born, you waste of space and air!"

He kicks me into my stomach and it hurts really bad. My mother used to say that our father loves us all no matter what. I'm starting to doubt it. "I'm sorry, daddy," I repeated with my shaking voice. My father just glares. He always glares. He never smiles with happiness on his face. And when he did, it was only at my sister. "Zuko, I hope you understand that you're a disgrace to our family." I just nodded with my head.

There was silence for a while.

My father sighed and grabbed my arm harshly and staring to walk to my room. He threw me into the room, slamming the door behind me. "Stay there until I will come up with a way to get rid of you," he yelled and then walked away. I just heard him grumbling something and then slamming the door.

He was gone.

For now...

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**The next chapter should be soon. (next month) I hope you liked it.**

**P.S I'm no expert on wolf attacks, so pardon me for messing up the wolf scene.**


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